MUZAFFARGARH, OCT 19: The families of those killed or injured in a road accident near Sultan Colony on September 28 have yet not been given any compensation by the Punjab government which the district authorities had announced immediately after the crash, Dawn has learnt.

The accident had occurred two days before Eid-ul-Fitar on Mianwali-Multan Road at Sultan Colony, some 30km away from here, claiming 37 passengers on the spot while two others died in Nishtar Hospital, Multan, on October 4 and 5.

Hassan, a naib nazim from Abbotabad, told this correspondent that his wife and sister were killed, and he got injured in the road accident while coming from Karachi by the ill-fated bus.

He said first district government official pledged compensation for the affected families within a week but now they were saying that a summary for the purpose had been sent to higher authorities and they were waiting for its approval.

Similarly, the family of another victim, Sabir, said they had come all the way from Mansehra to Muzaffargarh to get compensation but for the last two days no one was paying heed to them.

District Coordination Officer Tariq Javed Malik said a summary in this regard had been approved by the chief minister and was sent to finance ministry.

He also said that an FIR was registered against provincial highway authority officials and the contractor by Snawan police.

An investigation into the incident was being conducted by Vehari Works and Services EDO Mr Riaz.

Meanwhile, sources said that the contractor, Hidayatullah, who was arrested following the incident, was offering hefty amounts to investigators to escape accountability as it was being thought he delayed work on the road which resulted in the tragic crash.

An official requesting anonymity said the Rs50m contract was awarded without inviting bids through newspaper advertisements.